The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price....1 Pet. iii. 4. .

GODLY parents are delighted at their very hearts, if they see their dear children partakers of the grace of God. How joyful to hear those, who are part of one's self, enquire after Jesus and his salvation! Love and duty unite to constrain us to teach our little ones the knowledge of Jesus; to instruct them in the ways of the Lord. And if the spirit of grace is pleased to crown such endeavours with success, infinitely more precious is the adorning of grace to their immortal souls, than all the gaiety of dress to their perishing bodies.

As we to ours, so doth the Lord rejoice over all his dear children in Christ Jesus. He takes pleasure in their dress, which is the robe, of his Son's righteousness. Their ornaments, which are the graces of his Spirit, are delighting to his eyes. "He makes them allglorious within:" he loves his own image, which he hath formed by his Spirit, "in the hidden man of the heart." Both the inward graces and the outward fruits are an ornament to them; and are “of great price in the sight of their heavenly Father." By daily fellowship with our God and Saviour, we get more and more "conformed to his likeness." By close walking, constant communing, free conversing with Jesus, love is maintained in the heart and a meek and quiet spirit ever accompanies love. Where the former is wanting, the declinings of the latter are evident. As faith works by love, so love shews itself by meekness of spirit and quietness of behaviour. There is a sweet harmony in the graces of the Spirit. By faith the soul abides in Jesus, and receiveth out of his fulness. By love the heart is comfortable. And as Peter and John said to the beggar, "What we have received of the Lord, that we give unto you." So the christian dispenses out of his heart, love to his brethren, and is peaceable and quiet to all mankind. Love controuls the boisterous passions of nature. Love constrains to meekness of temper and quietness of spirit. We sadly mistake, and are greatly deceived by our corrupt nature, carnal reason, and the subtilty of Satan, when we act with any other spirit, and attempt to find an excuse for it. Nay, but it is unbecoming our character, a disgrace to our profession, a dishonor to our Saviour; it grieves the Spirit; is a badge of Satan's livery; a fruit of the flesh, and is contrary to the Spirit. The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, peace of men, nor the comfort of the soul. "Put on as the elect of God, meekness."... Col. iii. 12.

Bless'd are the meek, who stand afar Bless'd are the men of peaceful lfie," From rage and passion, noise and war; Who quench the coals of growing strife, God will secure their happy state, They shall be call'd the heirs of bliss, And plead their cause against the great. The sons of God, the God of peace,

For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: Because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people....1 Sam. xii. 22.

THE prophet Samuel, like the apostle Paul, "shunned not to declare all the counsel of God."....Acts xx. 27. They feared no licentious consequences from preaching the faith-establishing, soul-comforting truth of God's unchangeable love to his people. Yet Samuel encourages the people to cleave close unto the Lord, and not turn aside from following him; assuring them, if they walked contrary to the Lord, though he would never change in his love, or cast off his people, "whom he did fore-know," yet he would change in his conduct and dealings towards them. "God will surely visit their transgression with a rod, and their iniquity with stripes; nevertheless, his loving-kindness he will not utterly take away, nor suffer his faithfulness to fall."....Psalm lxxxix. 32, 33. Like a tender and affectionate parent to a disobedient child, his love is ever the same when he corrects, as when he dandles on the knee. It is of the Lord's good pleasure only, that he chuses and makes a people for his glory. He calls them to himself by sovereign grace. The honor of his name, and the perfection of his attributes, are engaged for their safety and salvation.

The faith of a christian, how firm its foundation! It builds on the rock of ages, the eternal truth of an unchanging God of love. His "hope is an anchor to the soul, both sure and stedfast, which is entered within the veil, whither the forerunner for us is entered, even Jesus."....Heb. vi. 19, 20. How then should our love be inflamed, and burn with incessant ardor to our ever-loving Lord and Saviour? Hath it pleased the Lord to put me among his children? to make me one of his people? It was free, unmerited love. Hath the blessed Spirit enriched my heart, with faith in precious Jesus? hath he in his word, over and over assured us, that " he will never leave nor forsake, but whom he loves he loves to the end?" Why is all this? Even because it pleased the Lord: "so it seemed good in his sight." And have I sinned? Heart-wounding thought! sinned against his love? am I backsliden in affection? grown cold and indifferent to the kindest and best of beings? shameful ingratitude! Is the love of God in Christ Jesus, the source of all present grace, the security of future glory? Verily it should sink poor sinners to the lowest humility; affect with the deepest self-abasement and sorrow for sin; yet excite godly hope and rejoicing in Christ Jesus; and influence to the most cheerful diligence of serving a God of love, "without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life." "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments."....1 John v. 3.

Because in him there is found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam.... 1 Kings xiv. 13.

SUCH was the testimony which the Lord gave by his prophet of young Abijah, the son of wicked Jeroboam. The father was branded, even to a proverb, for his abominable wickedness. Behold, the son is recorded by the Lord for his goodness: singled out from the whole house of his father, to be blessed of his God, and to come to his grave in peace.

Children of grace often spring from the loins of ungodly parents. The offspring of godly parents, often appear graceless. Grace is not hereditary. Grace is the sovereign gift of God. Parents may and ought to give good instructions, but God only makes them successful. Some good thing would not have been found in young Abijah, if the Lord had not put it there. It was of the will of the Lord, or because the Lord was his father, as his name Abijah signifies. God's covenant children, though by nature children of wrath, and though in their "flesh dwells no good thing;" yet, through the grace of the Holy Spirit, "they are created anew in Christ Jesus, in righteousness and true holiness, unto good works:" and after the inward man," they delight in the law of God." Some good thing is found in them, which manifests itself in love, fear and obedience to the Lord their God. The graces of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of believers, and the fruits of the Spirit in their lives, are evidences in time, of God's covenant to them in Christ Jesus before time. God views the work of his new creation in the soul with delight; pronounces it GOOD, and to his own glory records the graces of his people. What comes from God leads to him.

Thus we see 66 some good thing" found in the heart of Abijah, manifesting itself in the wicked house of Jeroboam, to the glory of Jehovah the God of Israel. O how highly honored are some who are converted to God's glory and service in the morning of youth! while the sun of righteousness doth not arise upon others, till the sun of nature is near setting. Hath distinguishing grace made us to differ, as well from our former selves, as from others? It is all from the love of the Father through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Spirit. We have nothing whereof to glory in ourselves, nor over others; it is our duty to confess it with our lips, and manifest it in our lives. May it encourage us daily to walk in faith and love. "The just shall live by faith."....Heb. x. 38.

Let no man beguile you of your reward....Col. ii. 18.

THERE is a present reward of grace enjoyed in the hearts of the faithful, which consists in pardon of sin, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost. These are the rewards of Jesus' toils and sufferings for us. Since an artful and subtle serpent hath gained access to the human heart, we can never be warned too much to beware of men. Satan deceived man at the beginning by means of part of himself. He still beguiles men by man. Though the adversary cannot pluck one of Christ's sheep out of his hands, nor rob the loving Saviour of one of the precious jewels of his mediatorial crown, still we are to consider him as a restless, implacable foe, who will strive by all means to perplex and distress our souls. Has Jehovah Jesus appeared to us in the vision of faith? Hath he spoke to our trembling hearts in his word and by his Spirit, as he did to the father of the faithful? "Fear not, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward."....Gen. xv. 1. Like the racers in the Olympic games, we must expect false judges, corrupted umpires, who will judge against us; determine the prize contrary to our faith and hope in free-grace promises and sovereign determinations.

They will judge against the truth and glory of our prize, as though we were not complete in Christ Jesus; as though we were not wise by his wisdom; righteous by his righteousness; holy by his holiness; perfectly redeemed from all sin, curse and wrath, by his complete redemption; but that somewhat is to be found and trusted to in nature and self, to entitle us to God's grace, and secure to us a crown of glory. Blessed admonition! "Let no man beguile you," judge against you, ye-free born, heaven-born souls, concerning the perfect freeness, and infinite fulness of your prize, your reward, Jesus. For by this they would weaken your faith, disturb your peace, and oppose your comfort. So they would beguile you to run uncertainly; as though your hopes were suspended on your own faithfulness to grace, your fulfilling terms and conditions, whereby to secure the prize. Ever reject such selfish, mercenary, base, compounding notions with detestation; as contrary to covenant love and gospel grace; dishonoring to our precious Saviour, and grieving to the holy, sovereign Spirit, who bears witness, that "there is a remnant according to the election of grace;" that the prize is adjudged to them "by grace, not of works; otherwise grace is no more grace: but if it be of works, then it is no more of grace; otherwise work is no more work."....Rom. xi. 5, 6.

Firm as the earth thy gospel stands,

My Lord, my hope, my trust;

If I am found in Jesus' hands,
My soul can ne'er be lost.

His honor is engag'd to save

The meanest of his sheep;
All that his heav'nly Father gave, ·
His hands securely keep,

Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel the Saviour....Isa. xlv. 15.

MOURNING under a sense of sin, and complaining of inbred corruptions, are consistent with faith in Jesus, and rejoicing in his salvation. Sorrowing under the painful sense of an absent God, has been the experience of saints in all ages; few, if any, have been exempt from it. And this is an evidence that they have felt his comforting presence, enjoyed the smiles of his love, and rejoiced in the light of his countenance. So the life and love of the soul is manifested. A christian is known by his sorrows, as well as joys. He sorrows after a godly sort.

But why should a God of love hide himself from his dear children? We may say, he is a sovereign, and answer in the words of Elihu.... Job xxxiii. 13...." He giveth not account of any of his matters." But it is most sweet to say with David, "Continually let the Lord be magnified, who hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servants.".... Psalm xxxv. 27. Therefore when God hides himself from the souls of his believing children, it is in love, wisdom, and faithfulness to them: it is to advance his own glory, and to further the prosperity of their souls. But he never leaves himself without a witness in their hearts, for we see the church addresses him though he hideth himself....sweetly applies to him as Jesus the only SAVIOUR, and utters her complaint before him, "Thou hidest thyself," and I am troubled. So the withdrawing of the comforting warmth of the sun, makes vegetable nature droop and languish, and it mourns in silent sadness. But the root is still alive, and it will, when the sun returns, bring forth its fruit in due season. Backward springs, often produce the most plentiful harvest. So the Lord teaches his sovereignty, roots the soul in humility, prevents the growth of spiritual pride, reproves a careless walk, chides for worldly-mindedness, causes great searchings of heart, embitters sin, excites to holy mourning, calls forth earnest longings, restless seekings, and fervent prayings. "Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" will be the restless enquiry of a loving, deserted heart. I cannot live without him: his presence is heaven; his absence is hell. Soul, ever beware of lending thine ear for a moment to any base suggestion, contrary to this sweet declaration of an unchanging God of truth and love: "In a LITTLE wrath I hid my face from thee for a MOMENT, but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord, THY Redeemer."....Isa. liv. 8.

His faithfulness I trust,
His word, his love, can never fail ;

'How boundless is our Father's grace, What tho' I mourn an hiding God, 'In height and depth and length: 'He made his son our righteousness, His Spirit is our strength.”

The Lord I serve....is just. M.